Minority Caucus

The 2019 Minority Caucus Meeting will take  place on Sunday, during ABA Annual Conference August 11th, 2019, 3:00pm – 5:00pm at the San Francisco Marquis, B2 Level, Golden Gate Ballroom A

ABA House of Delegates Minority Caucus
Call for Nominations 

Notice to the Members of the Minority Caucus of the House of Delegates: 

An election to fill the offices of Chair and Secretary will take place during the upcoming Minority Caucus Meeting. 

Pursuant to Section III of the Operating Rules of the ABA House of Delegates Minority Caucus: 

• Racial or Ethnic Minority members of the ABA House of Delegates are eligible to serve as Officers
• Candidates for office may be self-nominated or nominated by others.  Nominations are due Friday, July 26, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. (CST) and may be emailed to: Keevin.Woods@americanbar.org
• ABA House of Delegates members present and displaying their official credentials are eligible to vote in the election. 

For more information, please find below the Operating Rules of the ABA House of Delegates Minority Caucus:

Resources for 2019 Annual Meeting 

Operating Rules

Nomination Packets for Chair and Secretary  

2019 Annual Meeting Agenda

2019 Midyear Meeting Minutes

HOD Resolution & Reports--Coming Soon

Chair’s Column, Caucus Connection, August, 2019

Greetings to all! I am looking forward to seeing you in San Francisco at our 2019 Annual Meeting. As a reminder, the meeting of the Minority Caucus of the House of Delegates will convene at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, August 11th, 2019 at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis Hotel, Golden Gate Ballroom (B2 Level). We will adjourn as close to 5:00 p.m. as possible, or when our business has concluded, whichever is earlier.

We are also looking forward to receiving our usual report from the national affinity bar association Delegates to the House and a report from our Operating Rules Committee that has reviewed how we can best conduct business within our Caucus. We will consider amendments to the Operating Rules.  

The Minority Caucus of the ABA House of Delegates (House) provides a forum for racial or ethnic minority members of the House and those House members who have an interest in diversity issues -- to:

• Identify and propose key issues to the House and assist in developing a leadership pool for minorities in the American Bar Association.
  

• Provide a forum for HOD members to meet and 
• network with one another prior to the opening session; discuss controversial or interesting reports and recommendations on the upcoming house agenda, often including inviting proponents and opponents to speak; and mentor new minority members.
  
• Hear presentations from candidates for ABA officer and Board positions so that we can become acquainted with or reinforce relationships with the organization's top leaders and pose questions to candidates on their backgrounds and positions in a reasonably small setting.
• Invite members of the Board of Governors to address the group so as to alert the Caucus members of key issues facing the ABA and Board and to facilitate an opportunity for input into the Board decision-making process
  
• Participate in the ABA presidential appointment process and invite the President-elect or designee to attend and address the group so as to help to inform other groups about potential appointment opportunities.
  
• Assist in developing a leadership pool for minorities in the ABA as we identify, encourage, and support minorities to apply for or run for leadership posts throughout the ABA and provide a means of recruiting and mentoring candidates to ensure there is always a ready pool of talent.
  
• Work together to initiate, support, or oppose House resolutions in conjunction with others in the House, thus using the strength of the group to propose matters that merit House action and building coalitions with other House members to advocate for or against resolutions of interest to the Caucus.
  
• Participate in the House of Delegates orientation program so as to acquaint new members with the existence and purposes of the Minority Caucus and to raise a higher profile for Caucus activities within the House structure.
  

The Caucus meets twice a year, at the ABA Annual and Midyear Meetings. In recent years, these meetings have been scheduled for the Sunday afternoon preceding the opening of the House. Check the meeting program book for dates, times and locations.

The Minority Caucus meeting is open to all members of the profession. Invite your friends and colleagues.

If you have any questions or would like to be added to the Caucus listserv, please send an email to diversity@americanbar.org.